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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25964488">Tengwar in the Sand</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/George_Athelstan/pseuds/George_Athelstan'>George_Athelstan</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 09:21:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>968</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25964488</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/George_Athelstan/pseuds/George_Athelstan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Curufinwe comes face to face with Nerdanel for the first time.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Fëanor | Curufinwë/Nerdanel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Tengwar in the Sand</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“What in Arda are you staring at?”</p><p>He had done it now. Young Curufinwe had tried to muster enough courage to finally seek out the lovely nissi by the shores of Aman only to be caught off guard – staring at her. Her pale yet muscular arms matched her grey dress that floated in the gentle breeze, outlining her left side – the one closest to him. Her red hair that was once nicely tied behind her midway up was hiding her face ever so slightly as if no ner should look upon her. </p><p>His heart had stopped. How long had it been? A few seconds – a minute? It must have been long enough, for the maiden asked again.</p><p>“What is it?”</p><p>“I, um,” Curufinwe would have cursed himself had he the words, but even those did not come to mind. Nothing but the way she beamed with light from her innermost being. The words could not make it to his throat; for the first time, the eldest son of Finwe was rendered speechless.</p><p>Nerdanel’s fingers brushed her hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear to see him better. “Do you have a name?” She guided him.</p><p>“I – yes, yes, of – of course, I have a name.”</p><p>Nerdanel giggled. “And what might that be?”</p><p>When did his mouth become so dry? Curufinwe swallowed. “I am Curufinwe Feanaro, son of Finwe and Miriel.”</p><p>Nerdanel chuckled again, and he was certain that he heard Iluvatar’s original song in her voice. “I am Nerdanel.”</p><p>“Nerdanel, such a lovely name.”</p><p>“Lovely? Ha! And when have I ever been called that?”</p><p>“You should be, more often.” Feanaro finally moved to his feet, taking her hand in his. </p><p>“I believe you have been blinded by madness,” she countered, though her smile remained upon her lips. “There are other nissi prettier than I. Many of whom would be more suitable for the eldest prince.”</p><p>“You know me then?”</p><p>“Does that surprise you?” her eyes stayed upon their connected hands. She would never let him know how much she hoped that he would not let go – that this was not to be where they parted. “I may introduce you to-“</p><p>“But I don’t want any of them.” The words blurted out from his mouth faster than he could draw them back into his heart. Curufinwe’s eyes widened in horror at what he had heard his voice speak. His hand pulled away from hers.</p><p>In that moment, Nerdanel’s eyes lowered as her hand returned to her side; the light that once shown from her dimmed.</p><p>“Please,” he urged, taking her hand again. “I… this was nothing at all what I had imagined this moment to be.”</p><p>“This moment?”</p><p>“Yes, I – I have been watching you the past few years, and I -“</p><p>“Sir,” she gasped, thinking back, “This is hardly becoming of you.”</p><p>“No. No, I mean – that’s not what I meant.”</p><p>“I think they have exaggerated your wordsmithing, my lord, as you can barely speak a sentence to me. Are you indeed who you say you are?” Yet she was not cross with him, rather entertained. </p><p>Curufinwe was silent another moment until an idea illuminated his mind. He took off towards his hiding spot, running back with a stick in his hand. “Have you heard of Tengwar?”</p><p>“The written language created by the prince? Yes, but I have not seen it.”</p><p>His smile was now ear to ear. “Aright. I am going to write something that only he would know in it.”</p><p>The stick dug into the wet sand to create three words in the newly developed language. Each curve and line was written with care as if he were writing in the heavens rather than on the ground below. Once he stepped back, he used the branch to read out the words.</p><p>“Curufinwe melmë Nerdanel. Curufinwe, that’s me, loves Nerdanel.”</p><p>That had her laughing once more, and Feanaro took no offense. Rather, he was glad to hear the song in her voice return. “And how do I know that is what it says? How so I know you have not written random lines in the sand in order to woo me? If you are really Feanaro, then speak thusly!”</p><p>“Then I shall teach you,” he threw the stick into the water in order to hold both of her hands. “I shall teach you Tengwar so that you may read it and use it – speak it aloud in our native tongue.”</p><p>He took another breath before continuing. His thumbs ran over the back of her hands. </p><p>“Nerdanel, I – I have been infatuated with you since the first time I beheld you. I could not speak, could not breathe without thinking of you for weeks on end. All I could see was the way the water reflected light off onto your hair. The way your laugh sounds like the music that created Valinor – I… I still hear it when you speak. I could not – words failed me, though I am a linguist by trade and in my heart. You set me ablaze in ways that I never thought imaginable. I keep coming back in hopes to see you once more, even from afar. Then today – today I thought I would gain enough courage to speak my name – to learn yours, and yet you take every word I have ever committed to memory away. I forget myself in that I forget everything that is not you.”</p><p>By the time he had stopped speaking, Nerdanel’s face was nearing the shade of her hair. Her hands squeezed Curufinwe’s in reply and pulled him close. “How will you teach me Tengwar if my presence keeps you from remembering?”</p><p>“If remembering keeps you by my side, I will do my best to do so.”</p><p>“You better,” she smiled, “because my lessons start tomorrow.”</p>
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